Is anyone like me?

[JoshPeters]

Am I one of the last few people that, on MY truck I will build/rebuild/repair/design/etc everything. From Engine, transmission, rear end, front end, differential... etc.



For me it's a little bit of pride when someone asks and I can say "I did it. " I've made my fair share of mistakes, stuff that cost me 2 times as much as if I just had someone else do it, but I did it.



I'm not saying that I can't have people help me. I know my truck wouldn't be where it is today without people's help. SpicyJam and TurboTweaker, if you see this, Thank you!



I read more and more around here that people want to know "where do I get..... Done at?"



Am I the last of a dying breed?



Who's with me?



I'll tell someone anything and everything I know, and I won't BS when I don't know. But if someone asks me something I don't know... I learn it.



Josh

 

[Hohn]

You are the last of your kind. I suggest you find a female and procreate profusely to prevent extinction. J/K.


I take pride in "doing it myself" as well, but reality (lack of space, tools, or knowledge) forces me to sometimes have someone else do something for me.

Like Clint Eastwood said, "A man's got to know his limitations. "

 

[GIT-R-DONE]

Josh, I think in some ways everyone is like you. You do have to understand there are many here that rely on the experience of the "elders" here on the TDR to save them not only the time from their mistakes but also that valuable money.



On the other hand, many here have become lazy in the fact that we are now a "plug and play" type of society. Even our computers now-a-days make us spoiled.



There are others also that are both mentally and physically and mechanically challenged and shouldn't be doing work on anything.



There is something to say for those that are able to do anything they want with a piece of machinery/equipment and think nothing of it. If you are one of those type that it comes naturally to..... your lucky.

 

[rhino_50]

I like to do things my self to. But Sometimes I lack the know how. I'm always afraid I will screw something up. But my other problem is that I work with my hands all day long working In a machine shop. The last thing I want to do is to mess up something on my up on my truck. Working in machine shop can be very stressful. You always have to be 5 steps ahead. That is my excuse. Plus I have my own lawn care business, Just keeping the mowers going is enough. sorry about the rant. Rhino50

 

[moparguy]

I usually do it myself as well. Sometimes because I can't find what I want, like the Napa filter I found back in 01 (or was it 02) now know as the BHAF (didn't like the oiled filters we had back then), I welded up a aux side tank that's mounted outside the frame rail on the passanger side like the old Chevies, (won't do another one, to much work), reciently built a RanchHand style front bumper, added on board air for the air horns and air hose, and of course I felt I had to change my own clutchs, trans ect.



Latest project was porting the 12cm exhaust housing and drilling out the divider with a 1 1/16" bit and using a 1 1/4" exhaust valve head (from a little air cooled engine) to replace the little waste gate valve Holset used. Seems to be a good mod. I recommend it.



But as I get older, it getting more like work, less fun.

 

[tugboatphil]

Josh,



When I am like that, it's usually because I'm forced into it (on the side of the road, after dark). Sometimes I have to get work done in a shop. My truck is my business, so down time equals money lost. It depends on which way the scales tip.



Hohn,



That was about the funniest reply I ever read! If I'd have been drinking coffee it would have gone all over my keyboard... . after shooting out my nose! :-laf :-laf

 

[Blu-meanie]

I'll admit to being like that. I've done engines, rear ends, brakes, transmissions, transfer cases, clutches and anything else that goes wrong. I think it's called being anal. I only gave up on one, a ZF transmission, when the parts cost more than a rebuilt.

 

[SRadke]

I've spent well over 10k on accessories for my truck but if I had purchased kits and payed others to install them that number would be easily double. It's not just pride in doing it but I've got something that NOBODY else has. That is



-Scott

 

[Carlsummers]

I guess I am the opposite. i just had a plumbing co. install a new toilet in our house yesterday. I've done it before, but over the past few years, I have developed a philosophy (mainely attributed to work)..... I will not work on the electrical nor plumbing system at the hospital, and I expect the electricians and plumbers to NOT try to manage the computer system... ... I do what I do good, and they do what they do good. Same with my truck - I'm NOT a mechanic, I am an IT Specialist in Systems Management and Programming. I sometimes wish I could "work" on my truck, but I get frustrated too easily when A doesn't line up with B like the book says.....

 

[SRadke]

LOL. Murphey's law, A never lines up with B.

 

[Dl5treez]

Josh, if everybody could work on their own stuff you'd be out of a job.



Ever get those "car in a box/bucket/baggy" type repairs and think to yourself



"Why in the hell did that idiot try to work on this himself?"



Well, maybe some folks are thinkers & know what there limits are beforehand.





I'm a professional mechanic and have had other shops work on my vehicles. Why? Time... ... . My time was better spent doing other projects. It's a dollars & sense thing for me.



Plus, if it's 30 below outside, wind blowing 45mph, I'm out of kerosene & the garage is about 6 degrees---I'd much rather pay my buddy Mike $35/hour to yank my clutch, and spend my time hitting golf balls in the fancy new indoor range & impressing the pretty girl who works there--Hi Becca -- or go blow holes in some paper people at the nice warm & cozy gun shop.



That $120 or so paying him to do it---I'll earn it back in spades later when he needs a hand, and vice versa. Plus I don't get cold & dirty. :-laf

 

[Carlsummers]

LOL. Murphey's law, A never lines up with B.

And that is why I don't work on my truck.....

 

[CSnyder]

Josh, I guess I'm much like you and will tear into anything on my own even if I have to borrow the right tools to get r done. I have however in the past paid shops to do some dirty work... like having Dodge replace my lift pump because they were the closest place to have one... only vehicle at home was my truck that needed lift pump and I didn't want to hurt my VP by driving it back home with a bad LP so I paid them to do it and guess what... . since then they have warranteed 5 of them at no cost to me. That was definately a good call there. I also had Aron do my VP last spring when I broke down only miles from his house as well as adjust my valves since i had never done them before. I grew up on a big dairy/crop farm and we NEVER sent things to town to get fixed. I was taught from a young age that you should always try to fix it yourself if you think you can do it because a penny saved is a penny earned. My dad made me rebuild a small block chevy engine at 14 years old because I had that attitude that I thought I knew more than he did. . haha... well it ended up we built the engine together and I owned that same engine until 3 years ago and had run it in several Camaro's and a few trucks. I built my own shop just so I could wrench on things myself so when I do a major project in it I have lots of pride in my work. I spent 5 monthes starting in January during a snow storm building my 28x52 shop completely by myself other than having a buddy come out and help set rafters. I also hired an electrician to put power to my breaker box from the power pole under ground. So now after many fix it jobs accomplished within its walls I feel it was worth every single blister, smashed finger, frozen toes etc. I have never been scared to do any project by myself since my dad taught me to just get it done at a young age. I think that is why so many guys these days don't even know how to change their own oil is because their parents never taught them how to be self reliant. In my dad's younger years you couldn't just drive to Walmart to get an oil change or tires put on... you had to do it yourself or it wouldn't get done and when your engine blew up from no oil change you didn't have the garage down the road to rebuild it... . you did it yourself or went without. There are way too many people that just have to rely on others to do for them nowadays and that is what makes the economy turn.



Now I just have one question for you Josh... . what time are you coming on Saturday to install my new reman transmission?

 

[Joe G.]

Am I one of the last few people that, on MY truck I will build/rebuild/repair/design/etc everything. From Engine, transmission, rear end, front end, differential... etc.



For me it's a little bit of pride when someone asks and I can say "I did it. " I've made my fair share of mistakes, stuff that cost me 2 times as much as if I just had someone else do it, but I did it.



I'm not saying that I can't have people help me. I know my truck wouldn't be where it is today without people's help. SpicyJam and TurboTweaker, if you see this, Thank you!



I read more and more around here that people want to know "where do I get..... Done at?"



Am I the last of a dying breed?



Who's with me?



I'll tell someone anything and everything I know, and I won't BS when I don't know. But if someone asks me something I don't know... I learn it.



Josh

DITTO!!! That's exactly how I am.

 

[SGibson]

A true Hotrodder mentality.

 

[nickleinonen]

LOL. Murphey's law, A never lines up with B.

that is when prybar [item C] comes into play:-laf



it at all possable, i will fix/build/modify something myself before i sub the work out. unless i can get it done for free [like warrenty work]

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Josh, the TDR and people like you are precisely why I visit daily.



I grew up on a farm with a Dad that always did all the work himself when he could. I do most of my work myself. I taught my 28 year old son to fix things himself. Now, we when get in to these computer controlled systems on these vehicles, it has become a little more difficult to have all the tools.



I have been managing computer systems for a major corporation for 23 years. Quite frequently I come to work with grease under the finger nails, etc.



A couple weekends ago I changed the ball joints, shocks, brake shoes, and packed the bearings on my friends 1999 CTD 3500. Before that I repaired the busted fender bubble and repainted it. He is my age and is just now learning how to work on his own stuff. I am his teacher. He said his dad never had any tools.



The dealer wanted over $700 to replace his ball joints. We did it with Moog parts for less than $300 plus a couple hours of our labor. And he learned a good lesson while assisting me. He already knew how to swear!!

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Guess I'm sort of a half-breed :-laf



I've rebuilt two engines, swapped trannies, installed a crank kit, stuffed a V6 in a Willys wagon, installed overdrives, DIYed the usual maintenance, e. g. clutches, throwout bearings, wheel bearing, axle replacement, and brakes. A lot of it was because if I didn't do it it wasn't going to get done. I still tackle things that look like like "fun", e. g. changing valve springs, KDP, installing pyros, gauges, ebrake install, and etc.



However, now I tend toward picking the project and weighing cost and consequences. For example, I just got some 3. 55s to replace the 4. 10s. I talked to a friend who is very mech savvy about doing it myself. I would have to get a mag base micrometer and some tools, and be very meticulous about preload, backlash, runout, etc. Doesn't sound like me, i. e. not detail oreinted. Heck, I can smack a mule on the ***** with a halter rope, be 6" off, and still get the job done



So, now that I can afford to, I'll have the gears swapped at a shop. Maybe it also has something to do with the Ol' part too.

 

[JoshPeters]

Now I just have one question for you Josh... . what time are you coming on Saturday to install my new reman transmission?

Chris, I would be on my way saturday morning, except..... I have my CCP class on saturday. 9am sharp! Once I'm done with that, I'm headding to the shop to finish cutting the grooves for Fire Rings, swap out my valve springs, and get it ready for reassembly. I'm hoping to be driving the truck on Wed.



Josh

 

[rbattelle]

I prefer tearing into things myself, because I tend to operate under the (probably false) belief that I'm the only one who will take the time and effort to do it right.



However, I will occassionally send a vehicle to a mechanic if it's my only source of transportation and I don't have time to fix screwups. I love all things mechanical; I hate being stranded.



-Ryan